Heating and Air: Prepping Yourself for Winter

There serves little point to having a full heating and air system installed if you have to shiver your way through the cold winter months. Unfortunately, far too many homeowners do just that, and it's not just because they're trying to save money on their electric bill. It's because they wind up with a broken system as soon as the chilly winds appear and they don't necessarily have the money to get it fixed. Even if they do have the funds, it may take a few days for a local company to service the system. To avoid this terrible situation, here are some things you can do to get ready for the inevitable.

Get a Tune-Up

Don't wait until November starts creeping in to have your heating and air system looked at. Forging a good relationship with a local service company is one of the most valuable things you can do to keep your system working smoothly. Have them come out before the cold weather arrives and give your system a cleaning and a tune up. This will alert you to any problems that could be around the corner and take care of the loose ends that could lead to trouble when you need your heat the most.

Carbon Monoxide Check

It's one of those killers that gets very little press attention, and it is utterly silent and undetectable to the human senses. It's a good idea to get your heating and air system checked for carbon monoxide leaks, which are very common in dirty furnaces and malfunctioning water heaters. Have a company come out and install an alarm to alert you to the presence of carbon monoxide in the air and you won't have to worry about being caught unaware. Better safe than sorry.

Air Leaks

You can't afford to waste money running a system that isn't being transferred properly through your ductwork. If you don't feel like your heating and air system is giving you the results that you expect, it could be because of leaks in the ducts. Have your system checked out by professionals and you may be surprised by what they find. Some studies estimate the average home loses as much as 40 percent of their energy through these leaks. Imagine how much this translates to in terms of your electricity bill.

Atmospheric Quality

It's not only important to make sure your heating and air system is functioning properly. You should also make sure that what you're breathing is safe and clean. This is hard to determine on your own, so have your atmosphere tested before winter arrives.